STITT. IT’S PRESS CONFERENCE RIGHT NOW. WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY, BUT WE HAVE GOT TO IS THE TESTING IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TEST 15,000 CASES AT LABS AND OKLAHOMA. THAT’S NOT COUNTING ALL OF THE PRIVATE LABS THAT WE HAVE. SO WE NEED ALL OF OUR STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S OUR HOSPITALS OUR MOBILE LABS TO LOOSEN THOSE STANDARDS. AND YESTERDAY WE HAD NINE MOBILE TESTING LABS SET UP ACROSS THE STATE WE DID 500. TESTING TEST TOMORROW WILL HAVE 14 LAB SET UP ACROSS THE STATE. AND JUST SO YOU CAN REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE IF YOU HAVE THE SYMPTOMS OF A HUNDRED POINT FOR FEVER COUGH SHORTNESS OF BREATH OR YOU’VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE THAT’S TESTED POSITIVE. YOU NEED TO GET TESTED SO YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL 2-1-1 OR YOU CAN GO TO CORONAVIRUS DOT HEALTH DOT. OKAY DOT-GOV TO BE SCREEN AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN GO GET TESTED TODAY. I HAVE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH GARY COXE. LITTLE GET BE GIVEN US AN UPDATE IN A MINUTE. I ALSO FILED A NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER THIS MORNING THIS UNIFIES OUR STATEWIDE HEALTH RESPONSE WITH THIS ORDER THE STATE CAN GET WORKERS AND MONEY TO THE FRONT LINES OF OUR COVID-19 RESPONSE RESPONSE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE’RE ALSO STREAMLINING OPERATIONS BETWEEN OUR STATE OR COUNTY OFFICIALS ALL THE DIFFERENT HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS OUR STATE. IT’S STRENGTHENING OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND OUR ABILITY TO SHARE DATA AND SET UP MORE OF THOSE MOBILE TESTING LABS. WE ARE CREATING ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY IN OUR IN OUR COVID-19 REPORTING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE STATE CAN NOW NOTIFY FIRST RESPONDERS OF ADDRESSES WHERE RESIDENT HAS TESTED POSITIVE. LET ME BE CLEAR THOUGH. THE PATIENT’S NAME WILL STAY PROTECTED, BUT IT WILL GIVE FIRST RESPONDERS THE ABILITY TO STAY SAFE THEMSELVES ALSO TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES SAFE LASTLY WE ARE CUTTING RED TAPE TO HELP OKLAHOMA’S RETIRED LICENSED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. GET BACK ON THE THE FRONT LINES MORE QUICKLY. DISORDER DOES NOT DEPLOY THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR ENFORCEMENT PART ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES. THE NATIONAL GUARD IS HERE TO HELP THEY ARE GATHERING INFORMATION FROM OUR FROM OUR HOSPITALS. THEY’RE WORKING WITH LOGISTICS. THEY’RE HELPING DELIVER MEDICAL SUPPLIES PPE ALL ACROSS OUR STATE. THEY’RE HELPING ME PLAN FOR ADDITIONAL MEDICAL FACILITIES TODAY. I’M ALSO FILING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ALLOW LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO CONTINUE TO PAY SUPPORT STAFF WHILE THEIR BUILDINGS ARE CLOSED. THIS IS A LOCAL DECISION. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO FULFILL SUPPORT STAFF CONTRACTS FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. I MET WITH THE U.S. CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND OUR NATIONAL GUARD TEAMS. THEY HAVE BEEN SURVEYING SITES ALL ACROSS THE STATE IN CASE WE NEED MORE CAPACITY FOR OUR HOSPITALS. THEY GAVE ME AN UPDATE ON THE ALL THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO IT’S A GREAT MEETING DAVE INSPECTED A NUMBER OF FACILITIES IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA. I SENT THEM BACK TO ALSO GIVE US SOME MORE OPTIONS FROM SOME OF THE RURAL OF THE STATE. AND I’LL MAKE SURE WE ARE PREPARED TO DELIVER OKLAHOMANS THE CARE THEY NEED NO MATTER THE PART OF THE STATE THAT THEY LIVE IN OR THEIR HOMETOWN. MY GOVERNOR SOLUTION TASK FORCE IS WORKING THIS INFORMATION INTO A COMPREHENSIVE HOSPITAL SURGE PLAN ALONG WITH OUR HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION OR THEY’RE WORKING ON THEIR SURGE PLANS AS WE SPEAK TO FIND THE MOST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR THE CARE OF OKLAHOMANS AND MY LAST MESSAGE BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MR. COX IS DIRECTLY OKLAHOMANS. WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS WE WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS. I KNOW IT IS DIFFICULT ON A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES. THERE’S PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS. THERE’S PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING WITH LOVED ONES THAT ARE THAT ARE SICK RIGHT NOW. THERE’S SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE HAD TO CLOSE BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY OVER THE NEXT MONTH. SO THAT’S WHY I’VE EXTENDED MY EXECUTIVE ORDERS TILL APRIL 30TH, AND IT’S UP TO ALL OF US. IT’S ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY THE SOCIAL DISTANCING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE ON TO REALLY IN THIS CURVE. SO THE NEXT THREE WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL. THANK YOU, OKLAHOMA FOR TAK

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Commissioner of Health Gary Cox provided an update on the state’s coronavirus testing efforts and response during a virtual news conference. >> Coronavirus in Oklahoma: Get the latest local headlines During the news conference, Stitt and health officials urged people with symptoms to get tested, saying that Oklahoma has the ability to test 15,000 cases. Click here for a list of testing sites. Stitt also announced earlier in the day that he's declaring a health emergency statewide, and called a special legislative session Monday to confirm the declaration. Watch the video above for Gov. Stitt's latest update.

OKLAHOMA CITY —

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Commissioner of Health Gary Cox provided an update on the state’s coronavirus testing efforts and response during a virtual news conference.